Solution: River restoration

River restoration: back to nature

River restoration restores near-natural landscapes and allows natural processes to take place again. The EU Water Framework Directive provides special protection for these original natural landscapes: our watercourses must be restored to a good status by 2027 at the latest.

The natural river landscape is characterized by constantly changing water levels. It is shaped in many different ways by the power of the river water. It is home to many animal and plant species in a small area. Man has always sought proximity to streams and rivers. They provide him and his livestock with drinking water. They use the energy of water in mills and power stations. Rivers serve as transportation routes for ships. Many hundreds of years ago, man began to tame the rivers. By draining swamps and straightening the course of rivers, it was possible to fortify the course of rivers and make better use of valley areas.

Many rivers were rebuilt on a large scale. Long stretches of their course were dredged to form straight channels. The embankments were paved with stones and concrete. Alluvial forests and wetlands were cut off from the river by embankments. Today we know that the habitats of many animal and plant species have disappeared as a result.

Rivers should be able to develop in a near-natural state following river restoration. Sometimes time is the best factor for this: Leave fallen trees in place, do not restore broken banks, allow ditches and drainages to grow over – and the river renaturalizes itself. However, technical measures are often required: Dismantling the bank protection, widening the river bed and relocating straightened sections of the river back to its old course help the river to regain its former structural diversity and dynamics.

River restoration requires sound planning and the willingness of many interested parties to reduce previous uses.